Research Interests

The work of the David Tarin, MD, PhD, laboratory in UCSD Cancer Center focuses upon cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the spread of cancer in the human body. Cancer mortality results mainly from metastasis. One section of Dr. Tarin's research program concentrates on utilizing the exceptionally sensitive methods now available in molecular genetics to facilitate early cancer diagnosis. A separate major effort of his team is directed at identifying the genes that program tumor cells to colonize distant organs. The aim is to obtain information which could predict metastatic capability of a given tumor or be used to inhibit tumor dissemination.

Biography

Dr. Tarin received his D.M. degree from Oxford University, U.K., and was house surgeon and physician at the Radcliffe Infirmary of Oxford University. He was Smith Lecturer in Pathology (Cancer Research) at Birmingham University. From 1967 to 1973 he was Lecturer in Anatomy at Leeds University, U.K. From 1973-74 he was Senior Registrar in neuropathology at Leeds. From 1975-79 he was Senior Lecturer in Histopathology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School and Hammersmith Hospital. In 1979 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists. From 1980 to 1997, Dr. Tarin was the Nuffield Reader (Professor/Chairman) in Pathology at Oxford University, a special title of distinction given to senior academics due to their original research.

Dr. Tarin, a pioneer in the field of tumor metastasis research, was appointed Professor of Pathology at UCSD in 1997. Dr. Tarin, who is also Associate Dean for Cancer Affairs and Professor of Pathology at UCSD School of Medicine, knows about the powerful results these kinds of multidisciplinary alliances can generate. He pioneered just such an approach as chairman and coordinator of the Oxford Breast Diseases Group for 15 years before coming to UCSD in 1997. This consortium of surgeons, medical oncologists, radiotherapists, radiologists and pathologists meet weekly to decide the management and care for each patient seen by the group. He has transferred this idea to UCSD, bringing patients the benefits of a caring, coordinated and multidisciplinary team approach to cancer care.